Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Just Buggin - Challenge 12 - Triple Whammy

The current challenge over at Just Buggin is to use three die cuts. I did two projects for this one. The first a little gift bag using Bags, tags and boxes and Home decor. The second were toppers for Tony's 70th birthday last week.

I am sorry the picture of the toppers on the cake is not very brilliant as I had to take it at my friend's house on the night and it was difficult getting the light right so you can see them. The little cakes are made using a normal victoria sponge recipe, cut them in half and fill them with butter icing (for the plain ones) and chocolate butter icing for the chocolate ones. I put dark chocolate on the top (which was quite high content of cocoa - probably a little too high) and sprinkled icing on the top of the plain ones.

Today is the anniversary of the sinking of the ship HMS Dunedin (I am the administrator for the Society). Every year we gather at the War Memorial at Southsea Common, Portsmouth, with the handful of few remaining survivors and relatives of those who have since passed or who sadly died when the ship was torpedoed to have two minutes silence and a service to remember everyone. Our service coincides with the exact time that the ship was torpedoed.

419 men lost their lives either at the point the ship was blown up or during the 3 days it took to be rescued, sadly leaving less than 80 alive, my Grandfather William Allen, Royal Marine being one of them. My Grandfather didn't speak of his ordeal but since Stuart Gill published his book Blood in the Sea, I now understand the absolute horror they all must have gone through. We have a web site if you would like further information.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to all of the brave young men and women who have fought and lost their lives both in the past and the current keeping us safe from harm and giving us the freedom that so many of us take for granted.